Has this ever happened to you? Big game on tv, sports bar selected, you show up ready to cheer on your team, and there’s nothing you can eat. Well, you can usually find a dry bed of lettuce and a glass of water, but what’s the fun in that? You sit there half-heartedly cheering, starving, and longing for the days when you could order pizza, wings, and a pint of beer without a care in the world. That was all before you found out that you couldn’t eat gluten. Sports bars are one of the hardest places to eat gluten free. That’s why Sam’s Sports Grill in Nashville caught my attention.

Imagine my excitement when I found this gluten-free menu online and saw that it wasn’t just a list of salads! Sam’s Sports Grill has a gluten-free menu with appetizers, pizzas, burgers, chicken, and salads that are all made without gluten-containing ingredients.

Located in Hillsboro Village in the heart Titan’s country and blocks from Vandy, Sam’s is a popular place to hang out with friends and watch a game.

How many times have you been to a sports bar only to find that the only drink option is beer?

Sam’s serves Angry Orchard gluten-free cider.  My absolute favorite cider to date.

Sam’s has four different starters that are gluten free.  Baby Back Ribs, two different kinds of Nachos, and Spicy Chorizo Queso Dip will start your game off with a bang. We ordered the Nachos Grande with certified gluten-free tortilla chips piled high with chili, melted queso, tomatoes, onions, fresh jalapenos, and sour cream. I can’t tell you the last time I indulged in such decadence!

But the real reason I was there was to sample the gluten-free pizza.  Yes, gluten-free pizza at a sport’s bar!

Sam’s makes gluten-free pizza with French Meadow Bakery gluten-free crust. The crust comes in an aluminum tin to avoid cross contamination. I appreciated that Sam’s served the pizza in the tin so I knew that the pizza hadn’t been on any other surface that might contain gluten.

That did mean that the pizza was less than crisp, but this a small price to pay for delicious pizza and safe serving procedures.

On a Sunday afternoon, the bar was a buzz with football fans, but the waitstaff was very attentive and willing to answer questions about the gluten-free menu.

They did make one thing extremely clear. Their gluten-free menu is a menu of items without gluten ingredients. They state “In general, if you are highly allergic to gluten, we only offer a gluten-free menu as a healthy option.”

That statement almost prevented me from eating at Sam’s. Their gluten-free menu items are made in the same kitchen where flour abounds from sandwiches, burger buns, and pizza. I was very hesitant to risk getting sick just to review a restaurant for this blog. But then I realized that so many restaurants with gluten-free menus are in the exact same position. They want to provide gluten-free options, but they do not have the space to dedicate to gluten-free preparation. The difference is that Sam’s was honest with me. And they left the decision up to me.

Sam’s says that they make sure that when preparing gluten-free menu items the preparation surfaces are thoroughly cleaned. Their kitchen managers have all taken safe serve classes, and in weekly meetings they stress the importance with their staff about properly handling gluten-free orders.

Does that make you feel more comfortable? Or less? I decided that I was willing to take the risk, and thankfully I did not get sick. The food was delicious, I had a great time, and I’m glad to say that there’s one more place where Nashville can go to enjoy gluten-free food.

But it’s also a reminder that eating out gluten-free is the sole responsibility of the diner. You have the choice of whether or not to eat at a restaurant. Your health is your own responsibility. For more information about dining out gluten free, check out my series in 10 Days of Gluten Free created by Linda of The Gluten-Free Homemaker.

• Eating Out Gluten-Free:  Do Your Homework
• Eating Out Gluten-Free:  Be Nice to Your Server
• Eating Out Gluten-Free:  BYOGF
• Eating Out Gluten-Free:  Ask Questions
• Eating Out Gluten-Free:  Affirm a Job Well Done
• Eating Out Gluten-Free:  Have a Good Attitude
• Eating Out Gluten-Free:  Go Natural
• Eating Out Gluten-Free:  Share the Love
• Eating Out Gluten-Free:  Be Realistic
• Eating Out Gluten-Free:  Keep Your Guard Up

Readers, dish!

• Have you tried Sam’s gluten-free menu?
• Have you found a sports bar that offers gluten-free menu items?
• How do you feel about ordering off a gluten-free menu in a non-gluten-free kitchen?
• What questions do you ask before ordering off a gluten-free menu?

There’s a new restaurant in town called First Watch. The Husband heard the buzz that they were gluten friendly, so we had to check it out for brunch on Sunday.  First Watch is a breakfast, brunch, and lunch spot that serves pancakes, omelets, salads, and sandwiches.  At first I thought that it would be a typical greasy diner that offered gluten-free substitutions like Udi’s bread. Not so. All menu items are freshly made to order, and they don’t have microwaves, heat lamps, or deep fryers.

This is not a greasy food joint.  There are plenty of healthy food options.

So how was the gluten-free experience? It was fantastic! When I asked if they had a gluten-free menu, our waitress, Janette, said that she’d bring it right away. She also explained that she had Celiac and that she would be happy to help me if I had questions about the menu.

The gluten-free menu was extensive. They do not have gluten-free breads, muffins, or pancakes. That would be ideal. But they do allow you bring in your own bread. You could order one of their sandwiches without the bread and make your own sandwich at the table.  It’s nice to have permission to do what I typically do under the table!

Janette was also aware enough to explain that since the printing of the menu, they have learned that some of the salad dressings are not truly gluten-free. While the ingredients are gluten free, some of the products have cross-contamination issues at the factory, so she said that she would help me steer clear of those. What a great waitress! (They are in the process of updating their gluten-free menu.)

On the back of the gluten-free menu, there is also a chart that lists common allergens in their menu items, which is very helpful for those who have multiple food allergies.

And if those two resources aren’t enough to help you navigate safely through the menu, the bottom of the gluten-free menu has a list of items to avoid if you’re gluten-free and the reasons why.

Now that’s attention to detail.

I ordered the Tri-Athlete.  I couldn’t resist the name. Even though I’ve only done one triathlon, I’m still a triathlete, right? But I was also looking for something really healthy. This egg-white omelet was listed under the The Healthier Side, and served without the English Muffin made it gluten free.

After I ordered The Tri-Athlete gluten free, Janette asked me a question that I’ve never heard before in a restaurant.  ”Do you have an allergy or are you gluten free by choice?” What a great question! This is a restaurant that takes allergies seriously.

The omelet was delicious.  And our waitress put me at such ease that I had absolutely no concerns about the safety of my meal. In fact, she explained that the staff would change their gloves before preparing my meal.

Served with a side of fruit, this egg white and veggie omelet was the healthy brunch that I was looking for.

We had a lovely, stress-free experience. The food was really good. And the service was top notch.

And just when I thought the experience couldn’t get any better, we got the bill.  The total was extremely reasonable (where else can you get a healthy brunch for two for $20?) but the top of our slip looked like this.

Not only did the waitress write “Gluten Allergy” at the top, but she wrote it in a red pen and then circled my order in red.  Just one more safety precaution.

The Brentwood location is reported to be the first of three to five additional locations to open in the Nashville area. I look forward to having more First Watch locations. Gluten-free or not, this is just good food.

The Gluten-Free Cat gives First Watch two paws up!

210 Franklin Road
Brentwood, TN 37027
615-376-6161

Readers, dish!

• Have you ever eaten at First Watch?
• What are your favorite gluten-free brunch places?
• What do you order when eating brunch gluten free?

While traveling last month we stopped in Knoxville, Tennessee for several reasons.  We were hoping to catch a quick visit with my Sweet Cousin. The Husband also had to make a conference call in a parking lot.  And it was lunch time, so I definitely needed to check out the gluten-free scene.  Following my tried and true Eating Out Gluten Free Tip #1 Do Your Homework, I was confident that I’d be able find a safe place to eat.

Sweet Cousin and Me

I was all excited about The French Market Creperie.  I can’t remember the last time I had crepes, and I had read that the French Market Crepery made Buckwheat Crepes!

I found several reviews that reported these buckwheat crepes to be gluten free!  Yippeee! Should I choose a sweet or savory crepe?  There were just so many to choose from.  I finally settled on the Vegetarian Delux and pranced up to the counter to place my order.

Thankfully, I also followed Eating Out Gluten Free Tip #4 Ask Questions.  It only took a few moments to learn that their flours come from France, and the buckwheat flour comes through the same chute as the regular wheat flour.  Their crepes were not gluten free. Strike One Knoxville.  I was very disappointed, but so thankful for a cognizant server who saved me from starting off vacation doubled over.

Since I had done my homework, and had a tip from the Sweet Cousin, we went to The Tomato Head.  Sweet Cousin had told me that they were vegan/vegetarian friendly and that they had gluten-free pizza crust.  Sweet!

The restaurant was packed with college kids, both behind the counters, in the line for take out, at the tables, and spilling out into the courtyard.  And this cute little girl was attracting animal lovers like me out front.

After perusing the menu, I had my heart set on the #5.  A gluten-free, vegetarian pizza with mushroom, artichoke heart, red and green peppers, and red onion was calling my name.  But then I heard the dreaded phrase…

“We’re out of gluten-free crust.”

Strike Two.  At this point, we had two choices.  Walk out and try a third restaurant, or stay and see what other gluten free options they had.  Considering that it was already late, we were hungry, and our travel destination was still 2 hours away, we opted to stay.  And since we were staying, it was time to use Eating Out Gluten-Free Tip #2 Be Nice To Your Server.  It wasn’t her fault that her restaurant was out of gluten-free dough.

I was immediately impressed when the server said that she could give me any of their sandwiches on a corn tortilla.  This girl knew customer service.  And she seemed to understand gluten. She knew that the baked tofu contained gluten, but the marinated tofu did not.  She even pulled out a binder that listed all of their menu items that contained gluten and checked. BUT SHE WAS WRONG. (More on that later.)

We were starving.  So we ordered hummus and organic blue corn chips.  Guess what they were out of.  Blue corn chips.  Strike Three.  But we asked for the hummus with corn tortillas, and she was glad to accomodate.

Their hummus, gluten-free of course, is out of this world.  A little powerful on the garlic scale, which I love, and chunky.  If we weren’t heading out of town I would have picked up a few of these for home.

I ordered the Veggie Chef Salad, and as soon as it arrived, all disappointment from not having gluten-free pizza dissipated.  This salad was packed with color, flavor, textures, and nutrients.

Veggie Chef Salad with romaine lettuce, organic marinated tofu, broccoli, artichoke hearts, mushroom, red onion, cucumber, tomato, black olive, green pepper, carrot, red cabbage & sprouts

Incredible salad.  And far healthier than any gluten-free pizza on the planet.

Or so I thought.

The marinated tofu was NOT gluten-free.

Strike Four!

For the next day my stomach twisted and turned, and I couldn’t figure out why.  I thought I had eaten a clean salad for lunch at The Tomato Head, and I had an incredible dinner at Posana, a 100% gluten free restaurant.  Thankfully, my reaction was not severe.  But I was exhausted, slept long hours, and I dealt with the intestinal distress knowing it would pass in a few days.

On the way home, we decided to stop through Knoxville again for a late lunch.  Feeling better, I was hoping that The Tomato Head would have gluten-free pizza to try.

Strike Five.  They were still out of gluten-free dough.  So I tried to order that same delicious Veggie Chef Salad with marinated tofu, and I double checked that I was ordering the tofu that was gluten free.  Apparently, NEITHER tofu option is gluten free!  No wonder I had been sick over the weekend.  Mystery solved, but I was more than a little miffed that a restaurant that claims to be gluten friendly could make such a terrible mistake.

The food at The Tomato Head is definitely delicious and fresh.  I enjoyed this Southwestern Salad immensely (as well as my glutenous Veggie Chef Salad), but my recommendation comes with a caution.  Ask lots of questions, and ask for proof.  Look at that allergen binder yourself! The servers are not all on the same page.

How about that gluten-free pizza?  I tried twice and they didn’t have any in.  (Let me know if you ever have the chance to sample it, because this cat is done with The Tomato Head!)

The Tomato Head

Readers, dish!

• Have you tried The Tomato Head?
• How do you handle disappointment when gluten-free options are not available?
• What is your favorite gluten-free pizza restaurant?

On a recent trip to Asheville, North Carolina, we were pleasantly surprised to run into another restaurant that did gluten free extremely well.  The Green Sage is a restaurant that creates healthy options using natural, local, and organic ingredients. They provide meals for those who are gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian.  The Husband I were thrilled to come across this sign while milling through the streets of Asheville.

We had no idea just how many gluten-free, vegetarian options there would be.  Every wrap can be made gluten free with a brown rice wrap, and every sandwich can be made on gluten-free bread.  Vegetarians are provided for as well, as every meat item can be substituted with tempeh.  And on top of it all, they will work with you to make vegetarian choices vegan.

The Green Sage is more than just a coffeehouse and cafe.  In fact, they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  In addition to wraps, sandwiches, and burgers, they also serve fresh pressed juices, smoothies, rice bowls, soups, salads, burritos, and organic beer and wine.

I had to try the Sunshine Juice made from juiced carrots and oranges.  It was a perfect refresher on a hot summer day.

I chose the Curry Cashew Salad Wrap with grilled tempeh, cashews, raisins, apples, and lettuce on a brown rice tortilla.  This sounds a little pompous, but it was so incredible that I couldn’t believe I was eating this in a restaurant and not in my own kitchen.  The Husband even commented on the fact that I was excited about eating something I would make for myself at home. EXACTLY!  They key is that I didn’t have to make it!

The Husband enjoyed his sweet potato fries as well as the Chipotle Jack on a gluten-free bun with tempeh, lettuce, red onion, roasted peppers, serrano peppers, pepper jack, guacamole, and chipotle sauce.  He was in heaven.

The dessert case held too many gluten-free treats for me to photograph.  I wish I could have ordered a single bite of each one. Here is a sampling of their gluten-free desserts.

I didn’t sample any of these, but I did come back later for a Double Chocolate Walnut Cookie the size of a dessert plate.  It didn’t last long enough to photograph, but it was incredible. It tasted more like a soft, rich brownie with crispy edges than a cookie, and I was perfectly okay with that.

I would highly recommend The Green Sage to anyone looking for a gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan meal.  They have two locations.  I tried the downtown location and was extremely pleased.

• Have you ever been to The Green Sage?
• What is your favorite gluten-free, vegetarian restaurant?